We’re basically just two bacons in love. We train, work and make content to help others. Our heart is in teaching, whether that be children at school or adults who want to start exercise, improve or just learn more. This is our best effort at giving back.

Out of heartbreak comes opportunity. That’s how This Messy Happy was born. We have been married for 10 years and spent the majority of those years trying to start a family. Without going in to too much detail let’s just say that didn’t happen, in a number of ever more frustrating and heartbreaking ways. But you don’t keep good people down and we resolved that if we were going to be on this earth then we’ll spend it living our best lives trying to be kind and useful. Plus we got a beautiful dog daughter Winnie anyway!

So we make YouTube videos, document our life and racing, and basically try to give all of our knowledge and experience to everyone and anyone for free. It makes no sense being teachers, a running and triathlon coach with combined experience of teaching and coaching of nearly 40 years.

‘This Messy Happy’ is our way of letting you all know that life is messy, but you can always find the happy if you really want it. We all have things to contend with but together, we can help each other through and grow a fantastic community (currently over 10,000 people on social media). Together we really can inspire each other to do and be better every day.

Ben is a 44 year old PE Teacher, Level 3 Triathlon (and running) coach, GB age group triathlete (middle distance) and Sub 3 hour marathon runner. Mary is a UESCA Certified Running Coach, head teacher, a runner through and through with a 1:31 half marathon and 3:35 Marathon to her name. And she’s only just getting started!! Winnie is a beautiful deaf 9 year old dog. She runs with us almost always. She is the centre of our family and holds us together during rough times. And Jessie is the new addition. A 2 Year old adopted street dog found on the verge of death at 7 weeks old. He keeps us all on our toes!